The instant invention relates to compositions and a method for improving the flowability of slurries and suspensions of agro-chemicals. More particularly, this invention relates to the use of water soluble polymers and, optionally, surfactants to reduce the sedimentation and caking of agro-chemicals. Sedimentation and caking of agro-chemicals, especially herbicides, present severe handling problems.
The presence of the additives disclosed herein makes sedimented cakes very soft, so that they can be easily redistributed into a liquid phase to form a homogeneous slurry or suspension. Additionally, the instant additives assist in keeping agro-chemical solids in suspension.
Settling, as used herein, is defined as the separation of a slurry or suspension into components having greater and lesser concentrations of the solid or solids than does the original slurry or suspension. As such, the terms settling, sedimentation, and separation are synonomous and interchangeable.
Suspensions and slurries are defined as liquid-solids systems wherein the solids are dispersed or entrained in a liquid. For example, slurries or suspensions may comprise water as the liquid and an agro-chemical as the solid.
Agro-chemicals include any compound used to assist plant growth, such as herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers. The inventors have found that, by adding specified water soluble polymers and/or surfactants to agro-chemical suspensions, at designated dosages, settling of the solid phase is inhibited. Additionally, cakes which do form are softened by the additives and easily redistributed into the liquid phase. This improves the flowability of agro-chemical slurries and suspensions, thereby minimizing treatment costs.